Hyundai Motor India and IIT Madras Reveal Design of New Hydrogen Research Centre in Chennai

Hyundai Motor India and IIT Madras Reveal Design of New Hydrogen Research Centre in Chennai

Hyundai Motor India Limited , (HMIL), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Guidance Tamil Nadu, has unveiled the architectural plan for the Hyundai HTWO Innovation Centre—a dedicated research facility focused on green hydrogen technologies. The centre will be located at the Discovery Campus of IIT Madras in Thaiyur, Chennai, and is being developed with the support of the Tamil Nadu state government.

The announcement was made on 8 July 2025 at a formal event attended by TRB Rajaa, Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion & Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu. This initiative is part of HMIL’s ₹100 crore investment to advance hydrogen-based energy systems in India, a contribution partly channelled through its CSR arm, the Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF).

Spanning over 65,000 square feet, the centre will house advanced laboratories for computational modelling, prototype development, and testing of hydrogen-related systems. Facilities will include digital twin modelling, customised fabrication lines, and pilot zones for evaluating fuel cells and electrolyzers. These capabilities are aimed at accelerating hydrogen technology development for large-scale applications.

At the event, Minister TRB Rajaa emphasised the role of indigenous innovation, stating that the centre underscores India’s growing capacity to lead in sustainable technology development. He described the initiative as a step forward in positioning Tamil Nadu—and India—as a hub for hydrogen production and application.

Unsoo Kim, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor India, reiterated the company’s commitment to low-emission mobility, saying:

Hydrogen is central to our global carbon neutrality strategy.

“The HTWO Innovation Centre will support collaboration between global experts and local talent, enabling the development of scalable and affordable hydrogen solutions aligned with India’s clean energy goals.”

Professor V  Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, outlined the institute’s role in shaping India’s hydrogen ecosystem. He stated that the centre would serve as a collaborative platform engaging research institutions, industry players, and policymakers. The facility aims to support India’s decarbonization targets, including the national goal of net-zero emissions by 2070, and energy independence by 2047.

The centre will focus on applied research, localisation of the hydrogen value chain, and upskilling programs to build a hydrogen-ready workforce. It will also support pilot-scale deployments across mobility and energy sectors and contribute to India’s ambition of becoming a self-reliant and developed nation under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and “Viksit Bharat” frameworks.

Distinguished guests at the event included Chang-nyun Kim, Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chennai; Gopalakrishnan CS, Whole-time Director & Chief Manufacturing Officer at HMIL; JW Ryu, Function Head at HMIL; Dr Ashish Lele, Director of CSIR-NCL Pune; Prof Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean (ACR) at IIT Madras; and Dr Aravind Kumar Chandiran, Project Principal Investigator and Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Madras.

Founded in 1959, IIT Madras, is a premier institution recognised as an Institute of National Importance. With 18 academic departments and several interdisciplinary centres, the institute offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs. It is consistently ranked among the top institutions in India and has recently expanded its global presence with a campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

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